Finding local game keepers/ shoots

[Thumpersniper]

Hi,

I was wondering where is the best place to find local game keepers and shoots? i would like to offer a hand with pest control! they probably get inendated with lads wanting the same so maybe a non starter?! I have quite a bit of shooting experience but little gamekeeping, i am doing an agriculture and countryside management degree so not new to farming or animals which may be a help! Are there many shoots around mid west wales? cheers

 

SP

[highseas]

if you want to get shooting on a shooting estate you are gona have to gte the keeper to trust you and even then he mite not have the last work its often the big man that says whats what. we give lots of shooting to our beaters they all get a days stalking if they want and 2 pigeon shoots and beaters day too and a duck flight and then if a farmer is haveing trouble with pigeons we send in the boys.. so best thing you can do is get on the beating line or on the rearing field if your at colls on a keepering course the teachers will know of a couple of shoots wont they

[nipper]

If you go with the intention of shooting vermin ,you probably wont get very far .

If you offer him help when he is at his busy time or can offer some skill that would help him out (good with your hands etc etc ) you stand more chance .

 

Visit regular but don't be a pain in the RS,and wait for him to bring up the shooting side of things .

If you start now and are still helping out by the time the next season comes around,beating etc .At least he will know your not just a chancer and quite willing to help out for a bit of shooting now and again .

 

I have loads of guys every year come round but most of them disappear if they don't get out with a gun ! No skin off my nose though,because after all these years I have a list of good reliable guys I can call on if I need to .

I really appreciate the help

And they appreciate the sport they get in return .

 

I have one guy who turns up every Sunday morning about ten . Because I know he will be there I can plan a job to coincide with his visit ! It might just be a lift with something and last ten minutes ,so he takes the ferrets or goes and shoots doos after that .He,s happy and I have another job done .

 

If a keeper lets someone out on the ground with a gun and something goes wrong ,He is in the **** !!

It takes time to trust a new face ,so patience is the answer .

 

Good luck

[Thumpersniper]

Cheers for the advice, i understand how a keeper would have to trust someone, i can see it from their point of view! its not really just land to shoot over i was after i have tons of that, more just helping a keeper with his work and learning some new skills, it really interests me but dont get much free time! I work all my free time on farms with stock and consider anything hunting/shooting/trapping dealing with wildlife to be luxury time.

Yes got plenty of farming skills, do a lot of shearing milking and lambing.. useless to a gamekeeper! but i can fence, dry stone wall and all that but have farmers phoning asking me to do that sort of stuf for them for wages so would seem a bit of a waste of time! But if it takes some labouring to get to know a keeper and so on then i might give it a go. I know how that sort of work bartering works i have got those deals going on with several farmers, im sure keepers are not that different to them!

 

Cheers again

 

SP